Materials from Woman's College (now UNCG) veterans of the WAVES donated in 1992 and transferred by the Alumni Association in 1997; additional materials donated by veterans or purchased by University Archives beginning in 1998.
The Women Veterans Historical Collection documents the female experience in the Armed Forces through letters, papers, photographs, published materials, uniforms, artifacts, and oral histories. It contains more than one hundred manuscripts collections and more than two hundred oral history interviews.
The Women Veterans Historical Collection is organized into two areas. The first area consists of individual collections created by female veterans, such as the Susie Winston Bain Collection, #WV-0185. The second area consists of materials collected by University Archives that have been organized into general collections of textiles and artifacts and printed material. Finding aids for the collections can be found both alphabetically and according to branch of service.
The Women Veterans Historical Collection is the result of a project intended to document the female experience in the Armed Forces through letters, papers, photographs, published materials, uniforms, medals and oral histories. Housed and maintained in the University Archives in Jackson Library, the materials will form a research collection for scholars of military history as well as women's studies.
Although World War II was the first time that women served in the Armed Forces in large numbers, there were some women who served in World War I. Dr. Anna Maria Gove, college physician and professor of hygiene at the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) from 1893-1937, served in France in 1917-1918. Her collection includes maps, newspapers and mementos of her service in the Red Cross, as well as photographs taken in France during the war. Her WWI uniforms are included in the University Archives Textile Collection.
The idea for beginning the Women Veterans Historical Collection grew out of talks with Woman's College (now UNCG) alumnae of the Class of 1950. The women veterans of World War II had a great impact on their classmates at the Woman's College, as well as on their military organizations, their families and friends.
In 1992, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service—Navy) several veterans sent uniforms and other memorabilia to the Alumni Association. Those items, which were used in an exhibit, were transferred to the University Archives in 1997, and form the nucleus of the Women Veterans Historical Collection. Since that time, items have been donated from other WAVES, United States Navy veterans, WAACs (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps), WACS (Women's Army Corps), and United States Army veterans, SPARS (Coast Guard Women's Reserve—from the motto “Semper Paratus”—Always Ready), WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), Women's Air Force and Army Air Force veterans, Women Marines, Army Nurses, Navy Nurses, Army Dietitians and Physical Therapists, members of the Red Cross and even civilians in service. Additional items have been purchased by University Archives. At the present time, the collection focuses on World War II, but will be expanded in the future to include materials relating to women veterans of the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf wars, and will also include oral histories. University Archives also houses a Poster Collection that includes WWI, WWII, and post-war era posters.
Please note that transcripts of oral history interviews are in various stages of completion. Contact University Archives for availability.
Please note: The photograph(s) on this page are not to be reproduced in published works without written consent of Jackson Library, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. All rights reserved.
